ArchMount Enables Creative Pros to Do More With iPads

ArchMountTripodWith an ArchMount from SerialKickers, you can use your iPad for much more than an e-reader or on-the-go Internet device. SerialKickers is an Austin-based design team that is developing products that help democratize the generation and distribution of quality content. The ArchMount is a pocket-sized tripod mount that makes it easier to use the iPad as a video camera, desktop scanner, portable kiosk, lectern, or teleprompter.

Combining the flexibility of bungee cords with a small, rigid, plastic arch, the ArchMount securely grasps the iPad without damaging it. When used with a mini-tripod such as the Gorillapod, the ArchMount creates a flexible, desktop iPad stand so you can use the iPad as an extra computer display or for Skype calls. You can use a horizontally mounted iPad to scan photos or documents.

When used with a taller tripod, the ArchMount enables well-controlled capture of audio and HD video. Use it for stop-motion animation, time-lapse photography, teleprompting, or reading sheet music or scripts.

Because the whole mount can be slipped into a pocket or purse, it’s easy to take with you when you travel or shoot videos on location.

 

ArchMount_front“We set out to create an ultra-convenient, affordable tool to make iPads even more versatile for hands-free use,” explains Steve Guzman of SerialKickers. “We didn’t want to add bulk or create a barrier between the user and the device.”

Until March 18, 2013, the ArchMount is available for preorder through Kickstarter at a reduced price.  After the conclusion of the current Kickstarter campaign, SerialKickers plans to expand the concept for use with other tablet computers, including iPad mini, the Kindle, and Android and Windows tablets.

LINKS

ArchMount

SerialKickers

Ring In Creative New Year with Studio b Camera Phone Event

Start the New Year with a creative bang by participating in the fourth annual camera phone photography contest sponsored by studio b. From midnight on December 31, 2011 until midnight on January 1, 2012, use the camera in your iPhone (or any other smartphone) to shoot your activities or whatever captures your fancy during the dawning of the brand-new year.

“Shoot your life, your food, your dog—anything and everything,” urges Colleen Duffley, the world-class advertising and editorial photographer who founded studio b. “The only rule is that all images must be shot with a camera phone.”

There are no fees, and you can enter as many images as you like. Identify each image with your name, the title of the shot, and where you took the shot. Send your images to [email protected] by Tuesday, January 3, 2012.

Some images will be selected for inclusion on studio b’s pioneering Light Impressions exhibition which showcases the work of 40 of the world’s best smartphone photographers on 40 iPads. Slideshows from contest participants are also posted on studio b’s website where they may be viewed by some of the influential editors, artists, and designers Colleen befriended during her long, globe-trotting career in photography. In addition to being featured in the online gallery, some images will be printed and displayed in studio b’s art gallery.

The goal of the event is to help show how people of all ages are using their camera-phones as instruments of creativity.

What is studio b?

Located on the picturesque Emerald Coast of Florida’s Panhandle, studio b is an inspirational learning environment for all things creative. Participatory events, seminars, classes, and lectures bring together best-of-the-best pros from around the world with knowledge-seekers of all ages and backgrounds. Studio b programs have included hands-on learning experiences in photography, art, literature, fashion, design, music, and the culinary arts.

For example, attendees have learned how to cook pieorogies, build a bamboo bike, sew, paint, and sculpt. They have experimented with clay and other mediums and techniques such as encaustics, a painting method that involves pigmented beeswax. Studio b attendees have learned about cooking from a James Beard- award-winning chef and organic olive oil grower from Italy and held Q-and-A sessions with the director of a film that won an award at the Sundance Film Festival.

The idea for studio b originated as Colleen struck up friendships with some amazingly talented people while she traveled the world shooting images of food, fashion, and homes for magazines such as Better Homes & Gardens, Traditional Home, Elle Décor, Bon Appetit and commercial clients such as Carnival Cruise Lines, Neiman Marcus, and Doral Resort and Spa.

She often wished some of her other friends could have joined in these memorable experiences. So Colleen decided that the best way to make this happen was to invite some of the friends she met during photography shoots to give events at studio b.

Last October, Martie McGuire and Emily Robison from the Dixie Chicks spent a week at studio b writing music for the next CD to be released by their new band, The Courtyard Hounds.

They performed some of the new songs and mingled with a small group of music lovers who gathered at studio b for what turned out to be a fun and interactive evening.

Like other program-presenters, Emily Robinson found the “studio b experience” to be just as stimulating as the attendees did. In a letter to Colleen, Emily wrote:“For artists of any kind, finding new ways to be inspired is essential to our existence…or at least our work.” She says that after meeting Colleen on a project and learning of her other passion, Studio b, “It was clear to me how much we had in common. I, too, was at a point in my life where I was looking for that plan b…a way to be inspired, try new creative things and learn from other creative people’s work.” She says, “Studio b is a beautiful place for all of these things to come together, which is why we love being a part of the b.”

The Light Impressions Exhibit

Although studio b hosts many non-photography-related events, the camera-phone contest was the first event ever conducted by studio b. When Colleen launched it four years ago, the cameras in phones weren’t nearly as robust as they are today. Yet she could easily imagine how life-changing camera phones might one day become.

Others could see the possibilities too, because that first contest attracted more than 1,000 entries from all over the world. The first entry arrived at 6 pm U.S. Eastern time, from a photographer in Spain.

Last year, as the iPhoneography movement really started to take off, Colleen decided to take the image-sharing event to the next level. So, she created a “Light Impressions” installation, in which 13 selected works from 40 iPhoneographers play as slideshows on 40 iPads. The iPads are mounted on a piece of metal salvaged from the buildings ruined by a Gulf Coast hurricane.

“Because the images are always moving, the Light Impressions exhibit itself is always changing,” Colleen says. “No matter how many times you look at it, you see it differently.”

Some images currently displayed on Light Impressions came from studio B’s call for entries. Others were supplied by 20 artists who have already become known for their pioneering work in iPhoneography art.

“It’s remarkable to see how much the quality of camera-phone photography has improved since that first contest,” observes Colleen.

This year, the Light Impressions exhibit will be shown in: Miami, Florida; Birmingham and Florence, Alabama; Atlanta, Georgia; Austin and Dallas, Texas before being transported oversees for exhibitions in London and Manchester, England; Dublin and Cork, Ireland; and points beyond.

B Inspired! Join the Community

Colleen Duffley believes creativity brings strength and confidence to everyone, which is why she is so excited that people from age 9 to 90 participate in the annual camera-phone imaging contest and other studio b. events.

You don’t have to live in Florida to be part of the studio b. community. To learn about other opportunities to participate in 2012, visit the studio b. website and sign up for their newsletter.

In the newsletter, studio b. will be announcing some international trips that will enable you to enjoy the types of amazing experiences Duffley had on some of her photography assignments.

She still loves doing photography assignments, because photography is her passion. But she also loves the assignments because they continue to bring more people in to the b.

Colleen Duffley is fully committed to helping many more artists experience opportunities they might not otherwise have. When you join the studio “b-list” to receive the newsletter and other announcements, you will have the chance to experience some “a-list” events.

LINKS

PDF: How to Enter Studio b’s New Year’s Eve Camera Phone Event

About studio b.

Colleen Duffley Photography

Meet the Artists Featured in Light Impressions

 

App Lets Artists Reference 3D Human Anatomy Models

MARA3D AppMARA3D, an artist-based mobile app development company in Montréal, Canada, has announced its first mobile application: “MARA3D: David Giraud Male Anatomy.” The app is currently available for Apple iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad on the Apple iTunes App Store for USD $3.99. Support for other mobile OS platforms, including Android is expected for early 2012.

The app gives artists a revolutionary new tool for referencing and interacting with 3D human anatomy models. MARA3D makes finding an artistic perspective, angle, and shading reference fast and easy.

Instead of working with a live model in a studio, MARA3D lets you study a virtual model wherever you happen to be working. You can study the model in multiple poses, with layers of detail, and from unlimited viewing angles. The app lets you choose from four viewing modes: skin, grayscale musculature view, color musculature view, and silhouette.

Other features include real-time dynamic lighting, grid overlay, saved views, and full 3D gesture-based interaction.

The models featured in the app are the original artwork of the male human anatomy by David Giraud, a computer-graphics expert whose creations have been featured in some popular games. A complimentary female hybrid model is included as a free preview for a forthcoming Female Anatomy MARA3D app by David Giraud.

“Helping artists grow and cultivate their craft is extremely important to me,” said Giraud. He believes MARA3D can be an inspirational reference tool that adds value to an artists’ study and workflow.

 

LINKS

MARA3D: David Giraud Male Anatomy

About MARA3D

Personalize iPad Cases with Your Art, Designs, or Photos

The “Design Your Own” Powis iCase™ cover is a folio-style iPad case that can be personalized with customer-supplied photographs and artwork. The Powis iCase is manufactured in Berkeley, California by Powis, a 28-year veteran in the bookbindery business.

You can use the “Design Your Own” Powis iCase service to offer your own customers something new and different, or to create a personalized, studio-branded cover for your art, photography, or design portolio. Powis iCases can also be popular corporate gifts, with the option for companies to include their logos on the front cover or spine.

“My vision for our iPad case was always to offer the ability for customers to make their own case, using a special photo of a pet, family member, or favorite travel destination, or their own design,” said Kevin Parker, CEO of Powis Parker. “The iPad is a very personal device, and now the Powis iCase offers very personal covers.”

“I got my iPad last Christmas and researched like a madwoman trying to find the perfect combination of a case, cover, and stand,” says Shannon Vaughn, a Powis iCase customer. “I have since recommended the Powis iCase to quite a few people – some friends, as well as some random people at the airport who commented on my case,”

After uploading your favorite photo, artwork or graphics, the images can be faithfully reproduced on durable and easy-to-clean cloth. Or, you can choose from one of 70 handcrafted leathers or patterns. The Powis iCase can be further personalized with a name, inscription, favorite quote, or personal message on the inside cover.

In addition to personalization, the case offers protection and ergonomic functionality.

The built-in adjustable stand has more than nine viewing positions, so the iPad can be used for everything from typing while sitting on a park bench to watching an in-flight movie.

Other features include camera cutouts so photos can be taken without removing the iPad 2 from the case and a magnetic on/off switch. The case also includes a hidden wipe cloth, business card holder and hand strap.

All cases are constructed with 100% recycled board, and its handcrafted leather is 100% recycled cowhide fibers. Powis iCases are available for the iPad and iPad 2 for $79.95.

LINKS:

Powis iCase

About Powis

 

Digitally Paint on iPad, Replay Brushstrokes on Mac or PC

ARTISTS. ArtRage is a painting and drawing package that can be used to produce natural-looking artwork on your iPad, Mac, or PC. Developed by Ambient Software, ArtRage digitally simulates the experience of “painting” using your computer or tablet screen as the canvas. The “oil paints” smear and blend, and the “watercolors” flow together to create soft, wet gradations, just as they would in a traditional art studio.

ArtRage painting of Arielle Kogut by David Jon Kassan
ArtRage painting of Arielle Kogut by David Jon Kassan @StonehengeNYC

With the new iPad version (1.3) announced October 12, you can share the paintings you create on you iPad via Facebook, DropBox, and deviantArt, and export to a wider range of image formats via iTunes and email. For example, you can export your “paintings” as PNG or JPG files to the iTunes shared file space or send PNG, JPG, or native PTG files via email.

Also new is the ability to record your paint strokes. With this feature, you can playback your iPad painting in ArtRage 3.5 Studio on your Mac or PC for further editing, save your paintings for posterity, produce higher resolution output for large-format printing, or create tutorials to communicate the artistic process. In the tutorials, you can include annotations that explain certain techniques or add Note Bubbles or Spotlights that draw the viewer’s attention to certain areas of the canvas.

ArtRage painting of Screamy Screamy Night by Barbara Lietzow
"Screamy Screamy Night" Mashup of vanGogh and Munch recorded for playback by Barbara Lietzow

Ambient Design Ltd. is a New Zealand-based global software development and publishing firm, specializing in creative applications and user interfaces for artists of all ages and all levels of competency, including professionals, hobbyists and students.

 

LINKS

ArtRage 3.5 Studio

ArtRage for iPad

App Store: Art Rage 1.3  

Art Photography eZine Shows Work of Unsung Photographers

PHOTOGRAPHERS. Here’s one more good reason why it’s vital to show your very best work online: You might get discovered by the publishers of a new, independent art-photography eZine called VIEW. Curated by photographer Alon Koppel, View is not built around a theme. Instead, Koppel looks for an eclectic range of good photography from little-known photographers from around the world. Most of work featured in View was discovered online.

In addition to being a photographer, Koppel is a partner in the multimedia design studio FusionLab. The studio specializes in visual communications for mobile media and the web. Clients include Condé Nast, The New York Landmarks Conservancy, The Municipal Art Society of New York, Architectural Digest, The Authors Guild, and Thomson
Reuters.

FusionLab launched View to help demonstrate some of the visual possibilities of the iPad. Each issue of View takes full advantage of the iPad’s unique format and ability to display images with stunning clarity and interactivity. The View iPad app is available as a free download from Apple’s iTunes app store.

The creative team at FusionLab used a pre-release version of Adobe’s Digital Publishing Suite to produce View. Adobe Digital Publishing Suite is the same software that Wired
and The New Yorker magazines used to create their digital magazines. According to FusionLab, the Adobe Publishing Suite allows a layout that is visually gorgeous and easy to use. Their designers report that the Digital Publishing Suite works quite seamlessly with Adobe’s CS5 software, InDesign in particular.

The first issue of View was launched in March; the second issue was recently released. View #2 includes: the bold New York City street photography of Todd Gross; Mark Powell’s vibrant Mexico photos; Australian artist David Thomas’ series of painting on photos; and Satoshi Sakurai’s powerful photos of Fukushima. There are also photos of
the wall dividing Israel and Palestine as seen (and decorated) from the Palestinian side; wonderful photographs taken through The Modern Story, a program that gives underserved children in India cameras to document their world; and SPANA’s pictures of the developing-world’s beasts-of-burden.

View magazine directly supports US English, Bokmål, Norwegian, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish and Ukrainian.

LINKS

FusionLab

VIEW Magazine App

Adobe Digital Publishing Suite

 

LuxFolio Lets You Show 3D Photos and Designs on Your iPad

The LuxFolio™ Stereoscopic Portfolio iPad app ($2.99) lets you view and present 3D stereoscopic images on your iPad or a connected monitor, TV, or projector. The images can be produced with special 3D cameras or mounts or with 3D rendering software.

The app was produced by Luxology, an independent technology company in Mountain View, California that is developing next-generation 3D content-creation software. Luxology’s flagship product is modo 3D rendering software that is used by film and broadcast artists, computer graphics specialists, photographers, packaging designers, game developers, and web designers.

In the LuxFolio app, Images can be viewed in one of three ways:

The 2-up mode displays both images side-by-side and is designed to support connected stereoscopic video displays.

The wobble mode shifts between left and right views to simulate the act of moving your head side-to-side to see the stereo parallax of a scene.

The anaglyph mode works with commonly available red-blue 3D glasses. This view combines the two sides of the stereo pair using different colors, so that the left image is mostly blocked by the blue filter over the right eye, and the right image is blocked by the red filter over the left eye.

Modo screenshot on LuxFolio. Courtesy of Luxology.

You can organize images into slideshows with adjustable slide duration, plus manual forward, backwards and pause controls. Full screen iPad viewing is supported with zoom and pan functionality using standard iPad gestures.

“The LuxFolio app lets customers of modo and various other 3D software packages view their stereo assets on the go,” said Brad Peebler, president and co-founder of Luxology. “We are just beginning to tap into the image presentation and processing capabilities of the iPad and look forward to presenting customers with new and exciting options in the future.”

LINKS

Luxology

LuxFolio